MABLETON — Should a deal with Atlanta fall through, Rep. Alisha Thomas Morgan (D-Austell) said she would like to see a new Atlanta Falcons stadium built in her district. In particular, she sees it as a potential cornerstone for redevelopment in the Six Flags area.

Morgan mentioned her interest in the stadium toward the end of a two-hour town hall meeting Saturday at the South Cobb Community Center. After the meeting, she said she initially made the comment “in jest,” but sounded serious when discussing the potential impact the stadium could have on the struggling area.

“Quite frankly, if the deal doesn’t work out at the state level and they are looking for somewhere to house their stadium, I would love to have it come to the Six Flags area,” Morgan said. “We would appreciate the economic development opportunity.”

Morgan appeared to be willing to give the Falcons every opportunity to complete a deal to build a stadium near the site of the current Georgia Dome. A proposal being discussed involves using between $200 million and $300 million of Atlanta hotel and motel tax revenue to fund the retractable roof stadium, which is expected to cost up to $1 billion. The Falcons are expected to pick up the remainder of the money.

“Certainly as a state legislator I know how important this is to the state and to the economy, and I will be participating fully in the discussions to try to figure out what is in the best interest of the state.”

It is unclear whether the stadium, which has fared poorly in public polling, would need approval from the Legislature.

Initially, the audience at the town hall meeting seemed resistant to using public money to build a stadium in Atlanta. While the discussion was focused on finding ways to reduce school violence and bullying, Arthur Henderson of Mableton drew applause when he turned the conversation toward the stadium.

“All of these programs that you’re talking about cost money,” he said, referring to school programs. “The county has none, the schools have none. Gov. (Nathan) Deal is cutting the state budget again, but, somehow miraculously, we have $300 million that we can give to (Falcons owner) Arthur Blank to build a stadium that is not needed. We have needs and that’s just a want that he has.”

After Morgan explained that the stadiums funds would come from a source that couldn’t be used for education, some in the audience changed their minds. She said the state is basically taking out a $300 million bond for the stadium, which it would pay back with hotel-motel tax money. She then asked for a show of hands, with the majority saying they would favor building the stadium.

The idea of building an NFL stadium in a suburban area near a theme park isn’t new. When it was built in the early 1960s, Six Flags over Texas, west of Dallas, was the first piece of a sports and entertainment district that now includes the Dallas Cowboys’ new stadium. Since it opened in 2009, the stadium has been awarded events like the Super Bowl, NBA All-Star Game and NCAA basketball Final Four.

Hosting the Super Bowl, and the money it brings into the area, is one reason new Falcons stadium advocates give for the need to replace the 21-year old Georgia Dome.

The stadium talk comes at the same time as discussions of redeveloping the Six Flags area, located 11 miles west of the Georgia Dome. Purchasing and demolishing run-down apartments on Six Flags Drive has been one of the priorities of the South Cobb Redevelopment Authority, which Cobb County recently reactivated. The redevelopment board would then hold onto the property until a suitable developer comes along to take it over.

Now Jacoby(Atlantic Station) is working w/ Gwinnett millionaire to build a unique 200 million dollar 'live/learn/play' mixed use complex just outside 285 in Gwinnett. This complex would house a film school, film studio, recording studio, an MBA school, housing , hotel & office. Sounds like an exciting , visionary development.

...uh-oh.. here come sean murphys ad hominem attacks against me-he must have been promised a prize from smyrna's mayor bacon!!

You don't speak the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I will give you an example. Avalon DID break ground, but it will not be open for another year and a half -- August 2014. The company that bought the land negotiated for 2 1/2 years and it was owned and sat vacant for a few years before that. So....that over 6 years from start to finish. Why don't you shut up about Hickory Lake and Belmont Hills for another 4 years or so--then you can make a fair comparison to Alpharetta. I am not Murphy or Bacon, by the way, and nobody promised me a prize for writing this. Another ex: Eagle Rock is moving OUT of Stone Mountain INTO Norcross. Where is your slam about Stone Mountain? Another ex: The building GM is moving into in Roswell sat vacant 2 years after UPS moved out of it. I could go on and on and on, but I won't.

ProJour

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January 29, 2013

The problem is, you use examples of forward-thinking decisions. Haven't you learned that the vast majority of Cobb Countians far prefer to live in the past when, to quote Dana Carvey's "Grumpy Old Man": "That's the way it was and we LIKED it." It's why Cobb is becoming increasingly irrelevant in metro Atlanta - that and the buffoons that keep getting elected there.

anonymous

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January 29, 2013

Cobb is not becoming "increasingly irrelevant" just the same as it is not a "low income poverty zone." The key you anti-Cobb-a-lites need to keep in mind is our ELECTED officials. That's right. ELECTED officials. If your simple mind doesn't know what that means, it means the MAJORITY ELECTED them. It means you anti-Cobb-a-lites are in the MINORITY.

Trash & grab

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January 28, 2013

Just think of the trashy area around the stadium, the trash it will bring, the standings by NFL or NBA fans and the trash those events have brought areas and the extra police and security needed...yeah, you know which direction cobb will go once it's built - same direction as Fulton and dekalb - downward spiral...and incomplete pass!

It is true in surban Dallas,Texas area, Arlington area there is Six Flags Theme park, The new Dallas Cowboys stadium, The Texas Rangers baseball field. The new stadium was built in an area where most of the homes were over 50 years old. What is similar to the Arlington area and the Austell Six Flags area is that they do both have many apartment communities side by side. The community is located right off of interstate 30. In the Austell area the Six Flags area close to the interstate 20 there are many subdivisions which are are not yet 20 years old and have a lot of new families in the area. The Arlington area where the stadium is built it did not have new subdivisions the city did have older homes and people were given a court order to sale. That would be the hardest part how to promote a stadium being built to new families in fairly subdivisons on the idea. Also in Arlington area the bus system was not that great at all.

Living in Plano, Tx. in the early '80's the trip to Fort Worth from Dallas always took us past million dollar golf course communities, many which were home to Dallas Cowboy players, golfers & oilmen. Arlignton was home to extreme amounts of $$. You could smell it!!

This is how so many big attractions HAVE located there.

You aren't going to find any low income housing surrounding the Cowboys stadium.

Also, having a Dallas cheerleader as a next door neighbor, we attended some crazy parties w/ them & some players.

Also lived in the shadow of the Galleria in Houston- I remember well the high dollar, modern highrises being built, surrounded by huge houses & lots of entertainment attractions. Always something exciting to do!!. And this was 30 years ago. What has Cobb built in 30 years??

Cobb County is a low income poverty zone, in DESPERATE need for leadership that can actually bring some J-O-B-S to this area!!

anonymous

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January 29, 2013

mk has really lost her rocker. Cobb County is a "low income poverty zone" according to her. If my salary is poverty, I wish I knew what rich is. I am about 8 times over the poverty level and I live in Cobb County.

mk-cobb poverty

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January 28, 2013

Well, if this doesn't proove that an uneducated citizenry results in uneducated representation, nothing will.

The south Cobb County is awash in poverty.

Just look at the 285 corridor through Cobb- NOTHING THERE- looks like a DEAD ZONE!

If Cobb can't even make its major interstate exits inviting to businesses,... only a fool would suggest developers will plop down a billion.

Not one single person has addressed the real issues and made any efforts to effect change.

The ONLY thing that can change the poverty in Cobb is JOBS!

Gwinnett County has been brilliant. They are stacking up business locating there, especially the 85 corridor through Norcross, Duluth & Suwannee.

Gwinnett has laid out a solid infrastructure & would have much more to offer a Falcons relocate.

Anywhere along the 400 corridor would be in the running. also.

But the real front runner will still be the GM plant in Doraville.

South Cobb representatives, including mayors,... go sit in on town meetings in Roswell, Dunwoody, Duluth & Sandy Springs,.. you might actually learn economics!

@mk-Reality Check - While I have been no fan of Ms. Morgan in the past, let's not be so quick to dismiss this idea entirely. This thing is probably going to be built somewhere if the downtown thing doesn't fly, and if it is a done deal, as some would suggest, why not put it in the S. Cobb area. If it somehow adjoined the Cumberland Improvement Distrist it could be a real boost to Cobb, and the infra-structure is already in place down there. I do think it is a waste of money to be be built, but, I suspect it is going to happen no matter what. That being the case, why not here?

mk is ALWAYS ba-humbug. First, she complains because "nobody does anything to bring business to Cobb," then she name-calls the person that does "uneducated." Go figure.

Bob Bummer

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January 28, 2013

Not many mentions that when the new stadium is built, and it will be built, that the GA dome will be demolished so that the new stadium will not have to compete for events with the old GA dome. Is it just me or does this seem like a waste to demolish it? Why do the taxpayers not demand that the GA dome be used for an Atlanta college stadium or some other use instead of torn down. Maybe their should be a clause in the new stadium that if the Falcons decide to upgrade the old one be allowed to stand. Why must we live in a disposable society?

Marta and CCT could hook up a deal like they do with the rapid transit into and out of Atlanta?

Ole Man

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January 27, 2013

A new stadium is totally unnecessary. I have heard all of the talk if a new stadium is built, we may get a super bowl. The super bowl this year is being played in a 37 year old facility. If Mr Blank wants a new stadium, let him use his own money to get it built.

We don't need a new stadium after just 21 years. This year's Super Bowl is being played in a stadium that's 37 years old.

Lets wait 10 years on the new stadium and use the $300 million raised from hotel tax and repair the 100 year old, delapidated sewer system the City of Atlanta has RIGHT NOW.

And the new stadium doesn't need Marta. Marta needs it!

Tandrews5

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January 28, 2013

You're right there is zero comparison between Arlington, Geand Prarie, and Cobb County because the Texas cities are not suburbs. They are both urban and industrial areas. Also, the old Cowboys stadium wasn't in grand Prarie it was in Irving and clearly you've never been to either because they are not places to raise a family. Ripley's Believe it or Not, really?

Also, MK you're Babylons Roswell and Decatur both have three murders apiece already this year.

anonymous

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January 28, 2013

According to mk, Cobb County is the pits of the earth; everywhere on the planet is a better place to live other than Cobb County. Now mk is even comparing other states to Cobb County. According to mk, everyone but her is uneducated, senseless, stupid, out of touch with reality, corrupt, conceiving evil plots against her, etc. Why don't all us other worthless individuals move out of Cobb County and let mk run her own little private piece of the world herself, since she is the only one that is honest, smart, has worthwhile ideas, etc. (However, I have really never seen any ideas come mk. Only criticism and belittlements of other people.)

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